a tale of thirty kisses
by ayumi-nightbeauty
Summary: [Written for Livejournal's 30 kisses Comm] 10: they do not belong in this world, but for a brief, wondrous moment she thought otherwise - one-sided Ninian/Eliwood, Eliwood/Lyndis
1. the green chest monster i: beginning

Well, I'm trying to revive this account with a new fic, and considering I got the new FE:A game for Christmas last year, I decided to post something I had lying about in my computer for long, long months. I wanted to finish the 30 stories before posting this, as I'm writting it for 30_kisses comm at lj, but pretty much everything there is dying so... Anyway, here's the first oneshot.

I hope you enjoy it.

Of course, needless to say, the main pairing for this in Eliwood/Lyn (I have to play FE7 again, soon, I miss it). There are other, and might be more, but all pretty much revolve around those two.

This one's short, le gasp!, which is very surprising for me. So, yeah, again, I hope you enjoy it!

_**Disclaimer: Nothing but the plot is mine. Otherwise, I'd be rich.**_

* * *

**"the green chest monster i: beginning"**

**(ch23b – four-fanged offense / this isn't supposed to happen)**

**theme #04 – キミとボクのキョリとアノコ/our distance and that person**

* * *

.

_She_ should have _expected it_.

This _thing_ between them has been building up ever since they returned from the Dread Isle.

Really, _she_ should have _seen it_ coming.

They cannot seem to help _but_ gravitate towards each other. It's not so obvious in-battle, as everyone is following Mark's orders, going from one place to another; he insisting on being on the front lines and she scampering around helping anyone and everyone. But outside battles…

She always gravitates towards him, finding a place next to him while they eat, while they travel, and even while they stop to rest. She's so obvious about it, one has to wonder how nobody has _seen it_, how nobody has noticed the loving stares, the light blushes and gentle smiles _(and that necessity of hers to always, __**always**__ find a way to come into contact with him)_.

He is different, subtler. He also gravitates towards her, but in a more subdued way, with less frequency, as he finds it in him to spend some time with everyone in the party if possible. He is also obvious in a way; how he expresses around her, how he always seems to be gentle with her, chivalrous, always with a reassuring smile for her. How he always seems to come to her rescue.

Really, it is a wonder how no one has noticed their interaction _(their quiet talks, the time spent together, they way they seemed so oblivious to everything but that __**thing**__ between them)_, no one but _her_, that is.

_She_ notices it, _them_. Her looks and blushes and smiles _(and need to touch him, always)_. His demeanor and gentleness and chivalry and reassurance _(and always, always going to her rescue)_. And the time they spend together and their quiet talks and obliviousness. _She_ notices it.

Because _she_ watches them, even though _she_ doesn't need to, doesn't have to, doesn't know why _(she shouldn't)_, but _she_ does, and _she_ notices it.

But _she_ doesn't really acknowledges until now, as she follows Hector further into this town on the border of Bern, in search of someone who could tell them something about the Black Fang. When she turns around and expects him to be there as she starts to talk _(because he's always been there before, if not bringing up the rear then leading them, but he is always there, completing the trio, being a sort of barrier between her and Hector so they wouldn't hurt each other with their straightforwardness and brutal honesty; always there, right next to them—right next to __**her**__)_. Instead, she finds out he's stayed behind.

With Ninian.

_(So what if they had spent time together before, uh? All those stolen moments talking and sparring and relaxing and enjoying the fact that they could be comfortable —__**themselves**__— around each other. That doesn't mean anything other than they are close friends. He never treated her any different than Hector, never said anything about __**feelings**__. And she certainly doesn't __**feel**__ for him any different than she feels for Hector. They're just friend, good friends.)_

She sees them talking and Eliwood is sighing and Ninian is laughing and then he's smiling and she's blushing—they're both blushing, and…

_(Just good friends. So there's no reason to be upset, she should be happy for them. For Ninian, because this is the first time she's seen her laugh since she met her and she deserves a little bit of happiness what with all that has happened to her. And for Eliwood, because now that his father died, now that he knows the kind of responsibility that has befallen on their shoulders, he needs someone who can make him smile and feel at ease, someone who can make him forget about this war, if only for a little while.)_

…and when Eliwood takes Ninian's hand and lifts it slightly, giving her a dashing smile, before bringing it all the way up and kisses it, Lyndis knows—

_(She's not in denial. She doesn't feel betrayed. She's not hurt. __**She's not**__. Never mind that there seems to be something threatening to tear her chest open every time she sees them together and that __**that**__ something has just gotten remarkable stronger and it hurts —__**Gods, it hurts**__— so bloody much, but it really doesn't because there's no reason for her to __**feel**__ hurt. Really, there isn't. So, she will simply turn around and keep walking, a smile on her face and a proud stride in her walk, and she will ask the villagers about the Black Fang and life will go on and everything will go back to how it was before—)_

—something inside her breaks beyond repair.

.

* * *

**the end.**

* * *

For now.

Well, I'll try to update regularly, I have some other oneshots ready for this, but I need to check them for mistakes first. If you see any here, please tell me to correct it, I may have missed one.

And, of course, comments and constructive criticism are welcome (flames though, will be ignored).


	2. a year without rain

I was supposed to submit this one weeks ago, I think? Well, life's been busy so, I kinda got distracted.

This one's short too.

Not much to say, other than I hope you like it! Oh, yeah, **modern!au alert**.

_**Disclaimer: Nothing but the plot is mine. Otherwise, I'd be rich.**_

* * *

**"a year without rain"**

**(au / it's their first summer apart, and he finds a peculiar, but very endearing, way to express how much he misses her)**

**theme #14 – ラジカセ/radio-cassette player**

* * *

.

She is somewhat lucky that her grandfather still keeps old artifacts around their house. Because when her boyfriend's letter arrives only weeks from his departure, she is pleasantly surprised to find a package with it. She is, however, shocked when said package turns out to be a cassette.

There are only three words scribbled on it: play it alone.

And she does; borrowing her grandfather's radio-cassette player, she goes to her room and closes the door. After ensuring there wouldn't be any interruptions, she gets everything ready and hits play.

After a few seconds, a soft sound reaches her ears, then music—she's shocked, but smiles amusedly nonetheless, because she knows the song, and _who_ sings it.

"_I'm missing you so much,_

_Can't help it I'm in love,_

_A day without you is like a year with no rain._

_I need you by my side,_

_Don't know how I'll survive,_

_A day without you is like a year with no rain…"_

The lyrics die, and so does the music. She can hear more soft sounds and grins softly when someone coughs nervously.

Then, Eliwood's deep voice comes out of the speakers.

"_Uh, yeah… I know what you're thinking. A Year Without Rain by Selena Gomez? What the hell? Well, it was Florina's idea. I wanted to send you something special, since this very month, seven years ago, we met for the first time and… uh, I didn't know what to send you, and she suggested recording this cassette._

_The song hadn't been part of the original recording, that came after talking to Florina about how I wanted it to be special. She suggested a song, and since we couldn't find any songs that were sung by men that conveyed what I feel right now… uh, and that was pretty much the only song she had in her iPod that seemed to fit somehow._

_I hope you don't think me gay or something. And I also hope you don't let Hector listen to this, God knows I'll never live that down._

_It's really weird not having you around this summer. Granted, I'm really enjoying my time here, even if this village feels like going back in time, being with both my parents at the same time for more than a few hours doesn't happen often. You know that. I guess spending this summer with dad makes up for the fact the we're apart. Still, it's odd to wake up in the middle of the night and know that I can't just walk a few blocks and sneak into your room through the window… And I really hope your grandfather isn't around to hear this and take it the wrong way, but I kind of like the fact that I can just get up and go talk to you whenever I want._

_The village is lovely, by the way, but you should've told me this is where Florina spends most of her summers, I wouldn't have been worried if I'd know there was going to be a familiar face around. Even more so, you should've told me this is where Rath's girlfriend lives, Florina and I are meeting her and her younger brother tomorrow at lunch._

_I only hope the brother is not that young, or I'll feel very intimidated being around two girls."_

Lyndis laughs at this; first hearing the mock anger in his voice, then the attempt at sounding annoyed and then slightly amused. Underneath all though, she can hear a light nervousness, and she knows it's only due to Florina's peculiar shyness around men and the prospect of Rath's girlfriend being the same. He never did learn how to handle Florina's shyness.

"_Well, I guess the whole purpose for this recording is to tell you how much I miss you, and how if you were here this would be the perfect summer._

_I miss you, Lyn, I really, really, really —multiply it infinite times here— really miss you. And I know it'll sound silly, but I can't wait for this next two months to be over._

_Until we meet again, Lady Lyndis."_

There is a prolonged pause, in which only soft sounds can be heard, and when Lyndis is about to hit the stop button, Eliwood's voice comes again.

"_Oh, I almost forgot, as I know you didn't read the letter in favor of this, you can read it now. There's a surprise for you."_

The cassette stops playing after a few moments and she know that's all of it. So, after making sure it is placed safely on her underwear drawer, she opens the letter—and laughs merrily at what she sees.

The blush that comes then doesn't leave for the rest of the day.

.~.

.~.

.~.

_Dearest Lyn:_

_XOXO_

_From yours truly,_

_Eliwood._

* * *

**fin.**

* * *

Again, if you see any mistakes in here, let me know to fix it, yeah? I try to proofread it, but something always gets by me.

And, reviews are welcome!


	3. open your eyes and look at me

So, I'm back with another oneshot, and I'll upload another one after this as well.

This is something that occurred to me a while ago, while playing the game. Dunno, but it seemed to me that Lyn proyected an aura that kind of demanded your attention. Like, she never went unnoticed, that one.

So, yeah, on to the fic! I really hope you like it!

_**Disclaimer: Yada, yada, FE 'tis not mine. Just so you know, I'd love it if it were.  
**_

* * *

**"open your eyes and look at me"**

**(post-ch21 – kinship's bond, pre-ch22 – living legend / it is the little things that catches his attention)**

**theme #1 – こっち向いて/look over here**

* * *

.

He watches her entranced.

Ninian's long aquamarine hair dances to the wind, her skin seems to almost glow in the sunlight—but it is not this that has him so enraptured.

It is the green-haired girl next to her that holds his undivided focus.

Everything about her. The way she moves, the way she expresses, the way her hair waves around her, bending to the wind. But most of all, it is the way her eyes light up every time she smiles, the sincerity you can see in them; the way her cheeks blush every time she laughs, that due to dire circumstances it doesn't happen often. _(Everything about her seems to demand attention, as if her very essence were saying look over here, look at __**me**__.)_

Especially the way she smiles, briefly but truly, at him on the battlefield in the off chance their gazes meet and he sees her absolute trust in him shining in her eyes.

It's kind of funny, now that he thinks of it, how in-battle they seem to always find each other; even if Mark places them apart, in the end they always end up back to back fighting off the enemy.

"Ninian, could you come here, please?"

Mark's voice snaps him out of his musings, and Eliwood sees him standing a few steps in front of him, waiting for Ninian. The girl nods, and excusing herself to Lyndis and her brother, she walks in their direction.

And it's as she draws near that he has an epiphany.

He should thank her; really, for it is due to her that he had the chance of meeting Lyndis in the first place. If she hadn't been kidnapped last year back in Kathelet, he wouldn't have learnt of Lyndis plight and only the Gods know what could've happened to her if he hadn't help her _(but, then again, he's sure Lyndis would have found a way to come out victorious)_. He owns her a heartfelt thank you. And he should tell her so, as she stands no more than a few paces away from him, but in the end he doesn't, only stands up, smiles politely to both, she and Mark, and walks towards Lyndis.

The sun that filters through the leaves lights up small patches of her skin, and he thinks she couldn't have looked more lovely than this, relaxing under the tree's shades. And he is suddenly thankful of Mark's decision to take a small break and enjoy the last vestiges of trees and its shades before heading for Nabata's desert.

"I… think I understand the workings of the game now, Lady Lyndis."

"See? I told you it isn't hard."

He comes to stand a few steps behind Lyndis, slightly confused upon hearing Nils' words. He has grown tired of watching from afar, and he is curious as to what has had the three of them so merry this passing morning.

"Lord Eliwood!" exclaims Nils, and only then Lyndis takes notice of his presence.

She turns to look at him over her shoulder, and grants him a bright smile. "Hello, Eliwood. Care to join us?"

"I would love that," he says, and sits next to Nils.

"Lady Lyndis is teaching me a game," says the boy, returning his gaze to his hands, hovering over Lyndis' hands.

Eliwood follows his gaze. "What kind of game?" he asks after a while, looking up at the girl _(because, you know, she is just a girl, can't be older than sixteen and yet, here she is, helping him fight this battle when she could be spending some time with her grandfather within the safety of castle Caelin)_.

"One I used to play with my father," she says, smiling, albeit in a sad way.

He wants to say something, soothe her sorrow somehow, but before he can utter a word, Mark interrupts him by calling Nils. The boy excuses himself and leaves. And finally they're alone, for the first time since the fight at the Port of Badon, all those months ago.

"Uh…"

"Do you want me to teach you?"

She's giving him a radiant smile, all traces of hurt and sorrow gone, but he knows, they still linger somewhere deep under her strong demeanor. And not really wanting that smile to go, he agrees slowly, moving to sit in front of her, where Nils was.

"Well, what do I do?"

Her smiles widens _(he wonders how can it be possible for her to look even lovelier)_ and he feels an odd fluttering in his stomach.

_(And he's suddenly very, very glad she is here, helping him remember that even among the battles and the loss of your dear ones and the bloodshed, there is joy and moments like these. Where they can all relax a little and be the kids they all are and forget the chaos that threatens to fall over the world and—she gives him another reason to survive this war.)_

She sits Indian-style and rests her elbows on her knees, and her hands stay in front of her, palms facing up. "Put your hands over mine, palms facing down, but don't let them touch."

"All right."

"The purpose of this game is to see how good your reflexes are," Lyndis says, keeping her eyes trained on his.

He waits for her to explain further, but all he gets is the sudden sting on the back of his hands; he yelps, looking at her surprised. She laughs joyfully, taking his hands in hers and rubbing them.

"Not so good, Lord Eliwood," she says after a while, still holding his hands. "If that had been a sword, you would've been dead by now."

He smirks slightly and squeezes her hands briefly. "Or handless."

She laughs again and Eliwood finds himself getting lost in her for a second _(third, fourth, fifth…)_ time this morning. The humor leaves him all at once and he can only stare at her, trying to convey every detail to memory. She has stopped laughing a while ago and, half-consciously, he realizes she's looking at him worriedly.

"Eliwood?"

Whatever it is that compels him to kiss her, he doesn't know.

But as he leans into her, completely oblivious to the stares of their companions, and brushes one, two, three kisses over her lips and then kisses her more firmly, he really doesn't care.

_(The kiss is brief, for he is well aware of the possibility of Lyndis not caring for him as he does for her, although her blushed face might be a good sign.)_

All too soon, he forces himself to retreat and, after giving her a bashful smile, he leaves her sitting there, eyes glazed over and staring at nothing in particular. It is funny, though, because he feels like doing pretty much the same.

Later, much later actually, when they stop for the night at the outskirts of the desert, Eliwood allows himself to think of the consequences of what he did.

_(He might have screwed up royally any kind of relationship with Lyndis—)_

Then, there she is, meeting his unwavering gaze from across the fire, blushing slightly and giving him a timid smile.

_(—then again, maybe not.)_

.

* * *

**the end.**

* * *

Until the next oneshot. It still surprises me how short these fics turned out, I usually am incapable of writting anything with less than 3k word, unless I'm actually trying to write a drabble. Hmm.

Well! Please review, your comments and opinions are always appreciated!


	4. take my hand, don't let go

Another oneshot, this one's different as I played a little with tenses. Still short, and maybe more melancholic? Well. I'll try to keep submitting the ones I have ready soon, but I make no promises.

_**Disclaimer: Yada, yada, FE 'tis not mine. Just so you know, I'd love it if it were.**_

* * *

**"take my hand, don't let go"**

**(post-ch31 – light, pre-epilogue / what would you say… if I asked you to come back to Pherae with me?)**

**theme #20 – かえり道/the road home**

* * *

**.**

"_Come watch the sunrise with me, Eliwood."_

_They are minutes away from riding straight into the Dragon's Gate to face Nergal for the last time when he sees her, standing alone on a small hill next to their camping site. He approaches her without much thought, being careful not to disturb her. His pace is lazy, calm, so opposite at how everyone feels right now, but watching her stand there, utterly relaxed, eyes fixed in the rising sun, he just cannot not feel calm._

_The wind plays with her long, green hair and her tantalizing dress; he stops to admire the way she looks then, so at peace, so content, with the sun making her hair and her eyes and her skin shine with a golden hue… She looks like an Angel._

_The content sigh that leaves her makes him almost regret coming up here to be with her. He turns to leave, ready to go back to prepare for the upcoming battle, when her soft voice, carried by the wind, reaches his ears._

_And here they are now, watching the sun rise off the horizon and into the awaiting sky above, enjoying the last minutes of peace they will most likely get in a long while._

_Maybe it's that peace what prompted him to talk, maybe it's how content, how happy, she looks there watching the sunrise… maybe it's the knowledge that this moment could very well be their last moment together…_

_He reaches for her hand, intertwining their fingers once he catches it, and turns to face her._

_Maybe it's simply the fact that he feels truly happy, at home, being with here her; he doesn't know. But Eliwood is sure he would remember that moment as being the turning point of his and Lyndis relationship, the moment when, without his immediate noticing, everything changed._

"_Lyndis, what would you say… if I asked you come back to Pherae with me?"_

_Only then, she turns to look at him, a smile on her face and a feeling he doesn't recognize shining in her eyes, she gives his hand a gentle squeeze and answers him sincerely, letting the wind carry her words (and her feelings) to him._

**.**

**.**

**.**

The final battle comes and goes; so does Lyndis.

She slips away from Castle Ostia after the celebration ends, when everybody is too tired or too drunk to notice, silently riding away with her two most trusted knights. A letter is all she leaves behind.

A letter.

And he is left wondering. What made her leave? Was it something he said? Did he scare her away? Why did she leave? But the answers to those questions never come, so he is forced to move on. Because however tempted he feels to go after her, he has more pressing matters that require his attention and while a part of him _(the part that Lady Lyndis unleashed)_ revels at that though, arguing that she comes above any other matter, he was raised to be a Marquess.

And as a Marquess he must put his people's happiness before his.

So he does, for a whole year. Luckily for him, he still has his wise mother, whose concern for him allows her to give him the encouragement he needs to follow his heart's desire.

"We cannot hold the Ceremony with you looking so gloom and homesick, my son."

Eliwood looks at her, feeling apprehensive and slightly confused, through the mirror's reflection. "Homesick? How can I be homesick? I am home."

His mother smiled indulgently at him, straightening the small wrinkles on the shoulders of his royal attire. "Dear child, are you really?"

She leaves him to ponder her words, and it doesn't take him long to realize what his mother tries to say. When he does, he feels a little silly, for the answer is plain obvious, really.

Home is…

"Well, of course."

The Ceremony is postponed indefinitely and the next day, at dawn, Eliwood takes off with only his white stallion as company. Because he knows, he needs to do this alone.

**.**

"Come watch the sunset with me, Eliwood."

He finds her sitting on a hill next to her house, alone yet at peace it seems. All the tiredness he's been feeling for the long journey leaves with the gentle wind as he sees her; it is curious, though, that just the sight of her can give him such a boost of energy.

As he walks towards her, calmly, silently, a sudden feeling of déjà vu hits him. And when she speaks, without turning to look at him, Eliwood realizes why this moment feels so familiar to him.

She's said that before, didn't she, before the final battle, only a word is different.

And like before, he stands next to her, silent as they watch the sun set in the horizon. This time, however, he doesn't breaks the silence first, he waits for her to talk; a year is long enough to postpone a conversation. When the sky turns black, glistening with bright stars, he helps her stand up and holds onto her hand. Only then, finally, she turns to face him, a content smile on her lips and a particular feeling shining in her eyes.

A feeling he now recognizes.

She talks.

**.**

"You came."

"You left."

"…I needed time."

"Time?"

"Yes, to be sure."

"…"

"I was confused; I didn't know what to do."

"About us?"

"About me… what I felt for you."

"What you felt?"

"…"

"What did you feel for me?"

"It was… confusing, complicated and… strong. Very strong."

"Oh…"

"It's not complicated now, confusing yes, but that is alright, and…"

"Strong."

"Strong_er_."

"…"

"…"

"Lyndis."

"Yes?"

"…Will you come home with me now?"

"Yes… yes, I will."

**.**

He worships her body, at last, like he always wanted to, caressing her legs and her stomach —_where, he hopes, one day their child will grow_— and her back and her arms and her face. He brushes butterfly kisses over whatever skin his mouth can reach without breaking their passionate embrace, finally coming to a stop over her lips, which he kisses thoroughly. He whispers soft promises into her ears, in between kisses; she deserves a big wedding, he says, with white royal gowns, a priest, and a room full of people who care about her. She deserves this consummation to be on their wedding night, but he's waited so long for this moment and—

So has she, Eliwood realizes, as the very moment the words leave his lips, Lyndis is reassuring him. It's all right, she says, caressing his face, she wants this, she's wanted this far too long to wait any longer.

Her caresses don't stop, and Eliwood believes her, of course he believes her, he will always believe her because—

**.**

**.**

**.**

"_I… would say yes. Yes, because…"_

**.**

**.**

**.**

I love you.

**.**

* * *

**end.**

* * *

Oh, yeah, I also added an all-dialogues part in this. Was it good? I'd really like to know... or was it too confusing?

Well, as I said, I'll try to update soon! Of course, your reviews are always welcomed!

And thanks to those who have already reviewed!


	5. the green chest monster ii: realization

So, here it is, the sequel to the first installement of this oneshot collection, as its name implies.

This one's from Eliwood's POV. I hope you like it!

_**Disclaimer: Yada, yada, FE 'tis not mine. Just so you know, I'd love it if it were.**_

* * *

**"the green chest monster ii: realization"**

**(post ch26x – nights of farewells / now he realizes, he misses her)**

**theme #26 – ぼくのものになれば良いのに/if only i could make you mine**

* * *

**.**

"The truth is, Lyn… you and I… we belong together."

**.**

He should have _expected it_.

He's sensed the strain between them, building up shortly after crossing the border of Bern _(forcing them apart)_, she no longer seeks his side while in battle and outside it, she barely acknowledges his presence… or anyone's really, only speaking when spoken to.

_(And he wonders, wonders what happened to break that special bond he shared with her, the synchrony that made them dance on the battlefield when they were side by side…)_

Really, he should have _seen it_ coming.

Just like he'd seen their _(his and hers)_ bond vanish slowly, he'd seen _them_ growing steadily closer to each other, acquiring a sort of intimacy that used to be nonexistent. _They_ do not talk, _they_ do not touch, but _they_ remain side by side, seeking comfort, solace in the other's presence. No one but _him_ gets a reaction out of her, and he has to wonder _why_. Is it because there was _something_ there? Or is it that _his_ demanding aura manages to draw such a reaction from her?

(Though, there isn't much of a reaction, he notices, just a gentle nod of acknowledgement, but it is still more than anyone else gets from the Princess.)

This abrupt shift in their dynamics shocks him only because he hasn't been expecting it _(and yet, he has)_, because, by the time he realizes what happened, their bond was broken beyond repair. And he has this childish urge to throw a temper tantrum and demand explanations from her, but he does nothing, he only watches her, _them_, from afar.

_(On some subconscious level, he'd known she was pulling away, he'd seen her doing it, by spending less and less time in his company outside the battlefield, by talking to him less and less with each passing day… by no longer wanting to be with him. He'd seen it, sensed it, but took no real notice as he'd been otherwise occupied.)_

_His_ affection for her has always been obvious to everyone and anyone, as _he's_ never been subtle about it. Of all their companions, _he_ seeks only her when wanting to be with somebody. _He_ has boundaries for everyone, but only she can trespass them. Painfully obvious, that's what _he_ is. She, on the other hand, is not. She's never preferred _him_ over anyone, like Hector and himself, she takes time to socialize with everyone, although, he doesn't believe she does it out of duty as much as she does it because she really wants to. But now, she's built up all these walls around her, keeping everyone _(keeping him)_ at arm's length, everyone—except _him_, who seems to know a way around these walls.

And as he watches them stand in the middle of the Inn's backyard, under the darkened sky, he wonders how nobody has seen this, _them_, happening.

_(Guiltily, he realizes it's his fault. The broken bond is his responsibility. He's been so focused on the Dancer, trying to grasp all and every moment of his father's last days spent with the traveling siblings, to absorb all the stories Ninian has of his father that he neglected to notice Lyndis' withdrawal. He's been so desperate to cling to the last link he has with his deceased father that he failed to notice her absence… Until it was too late.)_

He watches them. He doesn't want to _(he shouldn't)_, but he does anyway. And it hurts, seeing _their_ bond, _their_ intimacy; it hurts, though he doesn't know why. He should leave, give them privacy, but _his_ words freeze him on the spot, hidden between the shadows provided by the buildings next to the Inn.

Holy Elimine, he really should leave.

_(What's worse, though, is that if he hadn't followed Nino and Jaffar early in the night, he wouldn't have witnessed how flawed their synchrony is now—in that one moment, when they were back-to-back on the battlefield… and she tried to decapitate him with one swing of her sword. He really is lucky her reflexes are perfect, or he'd be no longer breathing. But he wants… he wants to right his wrongs, he wants to make amends… He wants her. But she wants the Sacaean nomad instead.)_

Rath takes a step closer, and Lyndis blinks in surprise, clearly not expecting him to make another move after such words. And much to her _(and his)_ surprise, Rath doesn't stop there. Grabbing her face firmly, Rath takes advantage of her shock and kisses her gently, gauging her reaction before deepening the kiss.

And that's all Eliwood needs to make his body unfreeze and leave the scene. With the image of that kiss burned into his head, he returns to the Inn, gathering up his usual demeanor to prevent an unpleasant situation. The party remains ignorant to his inner turmoil, except for Hector, who sends him a questioning glace to which he merely replies with a light shake of the head. Walking up the stairs and straight to his room, Eliwood is successful in fooling his friend, but the searing pain that assaults him suddenly, as if something _(big and nasty and dangerous)_ were trying to tear his chest open from the inside, is reminder enough he failed to fool _everyone_.

(Ironically enough, his window faces the backyard, and though he knows it'll hurt more, he looks outside. What he sees confuses him, but does not lessen the pain. Lady Lyndis of Caelin stands alone, under the pale moon, looking as if the world rested on her shoulders. He wants to go out there and hold her, comfort her and soothe her worries, but he knows he can't, for his attentions would not be welcomed. Not now, not anymore.)

He failed to fool himself.

Turning away from the window, he fails to notice Lyndis' longing look as she gazes up… right at the place he'd been standing seconds before.

**.**

* * *

**finis**

* * *

...at least until the next part of this little set of connected oneshots. It shouldn't be long.

Oh, and for those liking the fast pace of the updates, it's mainly because the stories are mostly done, and just in need of a read-over. I have ten more ready, and let's hope I finish the remaining fifteen soon so as to not make you wait.

Reviews are welcomes! Thanks!


	6. ocean

Well, I do believe this is where the oneshots start getting longer. This one and over 1,800 words, and I think the following get even bigger than that, which reaffirms the fact that I cannot keep thing simple for long.

Anyway, I should probably say, that except for the 2nd oneshot that was an AU, most of these are based of my very first playthrough in FE7, at least, the first after I realized I couldn't get everyone to A-support with everyone! The first when I got and A-support with Eliwood and Lyn, all done by chapter 19.

So far, the fics have shown what I think could have happened in between chapters, considering my ships of choice. There will come some that will happen in-battle, yay! But not yet.

This one takes place, as it's said below, before our heroes reach the port of Badon.

Enjoy!

_**Disclaimer: Yada, yada, FE 'tis not mine. Just so you know, I'd love it if it were.**_

* * *

**"ocean"**

**(pre-ch16x – the port of badon / in which Lyndis reveals a secret and Eliwood realizes it's okay to forget for a little while)**

**#29 – 波音/the sound of waves**

* * *

**.**

He finds her on the shore.

If someone were to ask him how he knows when the Lady Lyndis is feeling down, Eliwood wouldn't be able to provide them with an answer, because he sincerely does not know _how_… he just does. It's something he's been feeling ever since he met her, this… _connection_ between them. As if, somehow, they are attuned to each other's auras. He couldn't directly help during her voyage to reclaim Caelin's throne, couldn't fight the battles next to her side. And, even now, they haven't been traveling for too long to logically justify… their synchrony on the battlefield.

Hell, not even Hector, with whom he's spent years fighting side by side, can evoke such a blind trust within him. And while he trusts his best friend implicitly, he would not lower his guard completely around him. Lyndis, though… he's not conscious of doing it until he realizes their foes are on the ground and they've won. Their connection is that special.

That's how he knows something is amiss.

He can feel her growing anxiousness and discomfort as the approach Badon, but without a moment of peace, he cannot openly ask her what is wrong, especially as it is obvious she's trying very hard to appear as happy as one in their situation can be. But as nightfall comes upon them, and with the port still a few hours away on foot, Mark is forced to stop for the night; only then the opportunity to talk with Lyndis presents itself.

Thus, he finds her on the shore.

He spends several minutes just watching her, aware he is wasting precious time there, but otherwise unable to stop himself. The sight of her is enthralling; her long hair bending and twisting to the wind's will, the skirts of her Sacaean dress dancing around her legs… showing too much skin for the sake of his sanity. Shaking his head to disperse such improper thoughts, Eliwood takes a resolute breath and starts walking towards Lyndis.

"Lord Eliwood."

"Lady Lyndis."

He should be, but really isn't surprised that she's sensed him coming. He would have sensed her. It is all part of this special bond they shared.

"What brings you here on this fine evening?"

As are these playful conversations they like to engage in from time to time.

"I saw a fair lady enjoying the ocean breeze alone and decided to keep her company. As you must know, milady Lyndis, it is not proper for the Princess of Caelin to wander off without an escort."

She smiles amusedly, her eyes still focused on the gentle waves. "Well, I shall tell the Princess of your observations next time I meet her."

He smiles in reply, and though she doesn't see it, she probably knows. They lapse into silence for several minutes, just enjoying each other's company and the soft ocean breeze. Suddenly, the air around them shifts and Eliwood is reminded of the reason of his desire to seek her out.

There is something troubling her.

"Lyndis."

"Hm?"

It is upsetting, the way she's so focused on the sea, almost as if it held a precious meaning to her, a great secret, one that she could not share. And he's not used to that, having to share her attention with something —_someone_— else. Is it selfish, petty of him?

"I… do not mean to intrude, but… Lyndis, is something amiss?"

"Why do you ask?" her tone implies she's giving him her whole focus, but her gaze remains unwavering.

He frowns thoughtfully, considering her question. How could he answer it? How to explain this connection he feels with her, the attuned sensation that permits him to know what she's feeling? How could he explain this without her thinking him barking mad?

"There's this… odd aura coming from you. It somehow let me know something is troubling you."

She remains silence for a few seconds, eyes staring straight ahead. He turns his gaze to their feet instead, to the crashing waves getting closer and closer to their feet. When her answer comes, it surprises him so much it renders him speechless.

"This is the first time I see the ocean."

He remains silent, wanting to ask too many things at once. How is that possible? Didn't her parents take her to the beach once? Does Sacae have an ocean? Yes, he believes it does, all the way to the east, if he's not mistaken.

As if listening to his inner turmoil, she answers his unasked questions. "My parents… they never got to take me to the beach side. Our tribe lived at the foot of the mountains, close to the border with Bern, and a trip to the ocean would have been too long an absence for the Lorca chief."

"Oh…"

When she speaks next, there's a slight waver in her voice, hesitation or simply suppressed pain, he cannot be sure if he's not looking at her. But if he does, look at her that is, his resolve to keep appearances and protocol and all the boundaries they are required to keep due to being the noble heirs to their respective states will vanish.

"We were going to… Mother was planning for us to take a trip to Lycia, she never said why, just that she and father had some business to attend here…"

Her voice trails off, trembling. He risks a brief glance in her direction in time to see her take a deep, calming breath. If her mother had wanted to come to Lycia, it could only mean…

"She never said why, but I found out later that she was planning on taking me to Caelin, so I could meet grandfather… I asked about it, many times, but she'd only say—she'd only say 'if everything goes well, we will spend a few weeks at the port of Badon'… Family time. But then…"

She doesn't need to say more, he knows what follows. Her clear intent to be strong endears her even more to him and, pushing obstacles and protocol and appearances and boundaries aside, he grabs hold of her hand and pulls her into a much-needed embrace. Her breath hitches and a sob manages to break through, but she tries to suppress it—albeit unsuccessfully. Her hands fist on his tunic and she presses her face into the cape surrounding his shoulders.

Slowly, one by one, sobs break through her lips and the tears she so valiantly tried to keep at bay fall freely; finally, she's letting the pain show. He knows this because he can feel it, to the very bottom of his soul, through every sob, and through every tear dampening his robes. Her suffering reminds him of his own anxiety, of his missing father and the mother who is waiting for her family's safe return; it makes him feel selfish for worrying so much because, well, his parents are still _alive_, he can hope to see them again, but Lyndis…

She has no such hope.

It's not long after that her crying fades to be replaced with silence—and the sound of waves. Lyndis pulls back, hesitating for a little while before stepping completely out of his embrace. There is protocol to consider, of course. She gives him a small smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes but it's close, while brushing the remainder of her tears away. And he has this inexplicable urge to replace her hands… with his lips.

If only I could do something… to end this war now, to erase her pain… If only… because if I could, I would do anything to give her back her happiness…

Watching her being uncharacteristically vulnerable _(and he secretly loves that, because it means she trust his enough to drop her defenses around him)_, Eliwood comes to an unfaltering decision. And although he knows Marcus would frown at him if he were present, Eliwood no longer cares.

"I know it's not much, Lyndis… it will never be enough, really, but if it's alright with you… I would be honored to share this moment, your first time visiting the beach, here by your side."

As he says this, Eliwood takes hold of her hands again, giving them a firm squeeze. Her eyes widen slightly, realization dawning on her as she finally understand the real meaning of his words. This visit was supposed to happen over a year and a half ago, accompanied by her parents and possibly her grandfather. It was supposed to be a family outing, not another stop on their ongoing quest to rid the world of an evil organization. This was supposed to be a happy time for her, not a reminder of tragedies past. He cannot give her that, cannot turn back in time to right the wrongs in this world, but… if she wants, he can try.

He can try and forget, if only for a little while, and enjoy this fine evening like the children they still are. Because, you know, they are only children after all.

Lyndis closes the scares distance between them, resting her forehead on his chest, and stays silent for a few seconds. Then, she speaks. "Thank you, Eliwood… it means so much to me, what you are doing. Because it is enough; it's not all, but enough."

The air around them shifts again, this time becoming lighter, less haunting. And they both feel like they can let go of their problems now.

Let go and forget, if only for a little while.

**.**

**.**

**.**

At the top of a little hill, where Mark had decided to settle for the night, stands Hector, watching his best friend and the girl _(that is slowly growing on him)_ begin to splash water playfully at each other. He sighs in relief because while he may not understand Lyndis as good as Eliwood seems to do, he can tell when something is amiss with one of his comrades. In this case, he noticed Eliwood's worry and his furtive glances at the Sacaean Princess.

Then, it was only a matter of logic, really.

"I bet he kisses her."

Hector turns around, startled to see Mark, of all people, after such a statement. He chuckles then, shaking his head as he turns again to stare at his friends, still completely immersed in their own world.

"No," he says. "Eliwood is chivalrous, raised to be a noble, but he's always been too shy around girls when it comes to that. And Lyn is the one girl he doesn't know exactly how to—"

His sentence halts, he blinks and lets his eyes widen in surprise.

"I told you so."

Mark's statement barely registers as he is too shocked to understand anything at all, because… well.

It seems Eliwood is not so shy anymore.

**.**

* * *

**end**

* * *

Well, I don't think I'll be able to post anything until next weekend, but I'll do my best to make it sooner.

Thanks to the few who have taken the time to review this, it's always nice to know people actually like what I write!

So, 'til next time! And, please comment if you can!


	7. the color of paradise

So, no, the longer chapter are yet to come, I was mistaken. But, don't worry, there are at least two that I saw are loooonger than most of this. Okay! Life was hard this week, I'm finally free to do some procastinating now, and I thought I'd update this before I got caught up in my job again.

Funny, what happens in this fic, actually happened to me in one of the many playthrough I had in my game. I'll explain it at the end of the fic, so I recommend you read it first, otherwise you'll spoil the plot. Part of the plot anyway.

Enjoy!

_**Disclaimer: Yada, yada, FE 'tis not mine. Just so you know, I'd love it if it were.**_

* * *

**"the color of paradise"**

**(ch18x – imprisoner of magic / in her last moments, Lyndis yearns for that perfect blue)**

**#15 – perfect blue/perfect blue**

* * *

**.**

It is her mistake, really.

Only, she never really expected it to happen _this_ way—her death.

Whenever she thought about it _(which, surprisingly, __**wasn't**__ as often as it ought to be considering the constant run-ins with death)_, it always was on broad daylight. Fresh, green grass would be beneath her and above—above would be that bright, perfect blue sky she loves so much. One would think, by that description alone, that she was thinking of the plains of Sacae. She was.

She _is_.

So, imagine her surprise —_her disappointment_— when, instead of dying in the lands of her birth, old after living an accomplished life, she finds herself lying on the musky forest floor of Dread Isle after being struck down by a lightning bolt. Oh, she's always known her low resistant to magic would prove to be troublesome someday, but… she honestly _hadn't_ thought…

"LYNDIS!"

That is her name, is it not? Who can be calling it? And why does it seems to come from far, far away? Blinking slowly, her sight drifts back and forth from blurry to clear and she is presented with the thick roof of the forest. Sometimes she can distinguish each branch of each tree, others she just sees a blurred mass of musky green.

A very depressing musky green.

Her senses are a complete wreck, something to be expected after receiving such a highly charged blow, it's a wonder she's still conscious—so much power. _(She wonders why her heart is still beating.)_ But she can hear fuzzy noises all around her, battle noises —_the clashing of steel, the grunting of pain, the smack of skin-against-skin, the chanting of spells_— and her name. Again. She senses rather than sees someone dropping at her side. Friend? Foe? She can't tell, but doesn't really care.

No, what she cares about right _now_ is the fact she'll never get to see that perfect blue again.

Someone moves her body suddenly and the coughing fit is unstoppable. It seems endless, too, as the blood surges up and out of her mouth, staining her vision of the green and depressing canopy—_wait_. Her sight focuses briefly and she realized it's not her blood staining the green, it's the head of a red-haired man. No, a red-haired _boy_.

"Lyndis…"

He keeps mumbling her name, and although she shouldn't be able to hear him among the raging battle surrounding them, she does and very clearly at that. The only sound making sense about the noise is, she realizes, the voice of this young man. And she knows him, she's sure she does. That wild flaming hair and high cheekbones and upturned nose—a noble. She recognizes it. It stirs something deep within her. His gentle touch as he caresses her bloodied, burnt skin and the tender way he holds her against his chest; it makes her heart clench painfully.

But why?

"Lyndis, please… just hold on…"

Hold on? Why? She wants to let go so she can see the sky, with its perfect blue and bright sunshine.

Something soft and wet presses against her forehead, moving in rapid motions. It takes her a while to understand. He, _whoever_ he is, has his lips pressed against her skin and is mumbling her name like a prayer. The contact jarring her mind so thoroughly that memories surface.

There's that flaming hair and a devastating smile. A gentle touch and a tender embrace. There's a warm body pressing intimately into her own, trapping her against her bedroll, and the moonlight bathing the inside of her tent. Scorching kisses that threaten to consume her. And the sense of feeling so complete and wanted and _loved_. Then, perfect blue. Only it's not the _sky_ she sees but a pair of eyes—perfect blue _eyes_ that always seem to shine with affection and admiration. And _love_.

And suddenly she remembers.

"Quick! Serra, Priscilla!"

Her sight focuses again and she can see clearly again. His eyes take all of her attention, so full of sorrow and pain and raw desperation. So blue, so beautiful. Slowly, painfully, she lifts her right hand and touches his cheek, sighing in relief when he catches it to keep it in place, because her strength is fading. Along with her life.

"Eliwood…"

Of course, that's his name. Eliwood. Her friend, her savior. Her _love_. Wasn't it just last night that they had lain tangled in a cocoon of blankets, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking? Yes, it was. And now, her life draining slowly, she's facing the bittersweet reality of their goodbye.

How fitting.

They meet in the midst of a battle and they shall part in the same way.

Wanting _him_ to be the last memory to take on her way to the next great adventure, she urges his face to come closer. A light tug, she does not have much strength left. She lets her eyes roam, committing every detail to memory, and then she smiles.

His lips brush her slowly, neither closing their eyes, and again he's whispering. Her name.

"Lyndis, please… please, don't…"

Her smile wavers, but she refuses to let it drop; she will part from him with a smile on her face or she won't part at all. Her vision darkens around the edges, she pushes the desperation back and focuses on his eyes.

"Lyndis…"

His sorrowful eyes are the last thing she sees, before she starts to fade. Those beautiful blue eyes that captured her heart from the very beginning, unnoticed until it was already too late. She will treasure it for eternity.

"That perfect blue…"

The wind blows, her eyes close and Lyndis falls into an endless abyss.

**.**

* * *

**end.**

* * *

So, the explanation. In ch18x (Eliwood's story), I had just defeated Kishuna, Lyn was running low on HP and I was going to heal her on the next turn. But, then the Boss, now free to do magic, targeted her. I was actually confident she'd evade it, as with Lyn, at least in my case, she usually evades everything with a 60 percent/lower hit rate. The odd were in my favor with less than 10 percent.

It hit her. She died. Game over.

Anyway, reviews are welcomed!


	8. killing edge

So, yeah, it's been months since my last update, and I can't really feel sorry because shortly after the last update I lost my job and just now I got another one! So, I'm kinda happy because I was running out money really fast.

Anyway, here's part 8 of this collection. Next one is one of the looooong chapters. I'll submit it tomorrow, 'cause now I'm pretty tired and just want to sleep.

FYI, this one's a bit... dark, maybe? Well, certainly not happy and light.

Enjoy!

_**Disclaimer: This is where I try to convince y'all that I'm not making any money out of this. Really. I do it for fun. Honest.**_

* * *

**"killing edge"**

**(ch26 – battle before dawn / it's an all-consuming sensation)**

**#21 – 強奪/violence; pillage, plunder; extortion**

* * *

**.**

By the time she snaps out of it, it's already too late.

Their goal had been simple; they had to protect Prince Zephiel. The problem had arisen when they couldn't find a way into the castle, what with it so heavily guarded. How could they slip in without drawing attention to themselves?

Legault had provided them with an answer. Having been part of the Black Fang, it hadn't been his first time infiltrating into the castle and Mark hadn't wasted time in asking him to lead the way. They had soon found themselves barreling through the northeastern gate, just in time to hear the scream of a girl followed closely by the sound of lightening striking the marble pillars not far from where they stood.

Lyndis remembers taking a step to follow Mark, when the sound of clashing metal reached her ears. It had come from the west side of the castle, down the corridor next to her, and she hadn't hesitated to follow the sound. Because she'd know all her friends had gone in the direction of the scream, whoever was fighting at the end of the corridor was an ally, and by the sounds of it, one that was in a clear disadvantage.

The darkness of the hall had provided cover not only for her, but for her enemies too, as more than once she came face to face with a member of the Black Fang; normal members, not the morphs they'd been encountering as of late. Two mages and a knight later, and she'd reached the end of the hall. The sight that'd greeted her only confirmed her suspicions.

Several members of the Black Fang, too many to count, were cornering a cloaked figure, that upon closer inspection, Lyndis realized was a boy, perhaps not much older than her. He'd been wounded already and avoiding at the best of his abilities the spells and arrows flying at him. Without thinking twice, she'd reached for her sword, but instead of grabbing her Mani Katti, she took hold of the Killing Edge Mark had given to her before the assault to the castle and that unsettling feeling that had been hovering around her wrapped her up, suddenly, overwhelming her senses.

Everything after that is a blur.

_(You sprint forward, sword drawn, and strike down the first of your foes. But what could have been a clean kill turns into a bloody mess as the curved blade twists inside the ribcage's of the dying man. Pulling out the sword, you ignore the blood splattering on your face as you turn to your next victim. The rest is a matter of going over the same steps of the first kill: lunge, dodge, stab, twist, pull and repeat. A severed hand, a stomach cut open, a sliced neck—it all blurs into a big mass of bloody red and an insatiable lust for death.)_

Briefly, she recalls a conversation with Eliwood, shortly after touching land on Dread Isle. He'd approached her, quietly inquiring about her reaction back on Port Badon, when the decision to ask help from the pirates was made. And she'd been astoundingly honest with her answer—she'd told him of the slaughter that was the attack on her clan, of the massacre the bandits committed to all the villagers that stood in their path. Of all the horrors she'd already seen at the tender age of fourteen. She abhorred meaningless violence, she'd said to him, and killing as well even if she understood why it was necessary. But she particularly loathed those who killed for the sake of killing. Thus why she'd had yet to end a life.

Eliwood hadn't taken long to comprehend the problem after that.

Now, she stands in the midst of a bloodlust-induced carnage; one that she provoked.

Slowly, almost as if afraid to unsettle her, the boy she was trying to save approaches her. His face is an emotionless mask and, catching a glimpse of the blade hanging from his hip, Lyndis wonders if such expression is a consequence of wielding the Killing Edge. The fact that she's fighting a war seems to register in her mind suddenly, as if everything that's happened before that night were merely a distant dream, something out of someone else's life. And she realizes that soon, much too soon, if they don't stop this War, she'll become that boy; an emotionless soldier going through the motions, every day a different kill, every time a different way, but ultimately, it will always be a bloody carnage.

At last, he reaches her and, slowly, he grasps her left shoulder while his left hand loosens her hold on the Killing Edge. He urges her back gently, until she's pressed against a marble pillar, and pushes her down until Lyndis slides to the floor. The boy kneels before her, staring with a critical eye before standing up and remaining there, waiting. And just like that, looming over her, Lyndis thinks the boy doesn't resembles much of a boy, his imposing figure casting dark shadows over her prone form.

Distantly, Lyndis hears the clacking of hooves hitting the hard, cold floor, approaching. The boy walks a few steps away, raises her blade and strikes the whimpering form of a man lying some feet away from her, ending his life—his suffering. So maybe the boy isn't as emotionless as he seems, so maybe there is hope for her too. Maybe…

"Lyn!"

She answers to the call by looking down the darkened hall, but says nothing. Lyndis catches glimpses of red and blue and green and white, it takes her a moment, but then she recognized the might of Florina's Pegasus, Huey. Behind them, Kent and Sain are urging their horses to go faster; she can't see their faces but there's probably worry etched into their features. She wants to call out to them, tell them she's alright, but the blinding shock refuses to leave her and the panic starts to settle in and all she can think of is the urge to kill and the bloodlust that still clings to her conscious.

Moments later, although it feels like ages, Florina lands in the space between the boy and her, and Huey spreads his wings in an attempt to create a shield of feathers. Her faithful Paladins arrive seconds later, lances drawn and ready to strike, each taking a stand on either side of the Falco Knight. Lyndis vaguely acknowledges Serra scrambling off Sain's horse and to her side; the young Bishop looks frantic as she fusses over her, bordering on panicking. Serra yells something and Lyndis can clearly see Florina, Kent and Sain getting ready to attack the boy.

It's funny, and she can't laugh or tell them to back down over the panic gripping her throat, because the boy's not the dangerous one in the hall; it's _her_.

"STOP!"

**.**

**.**

**.**

Eliwood doesn't think he's ever run so fast in his life, but then, he's sure there's never been so much panic filling his being before tonight.

It narrows down to the carelessness of everyone, really, not to notice the absence of one of their own. And it's only when they find Nino, and convince her to stay with them after promising that they would help her find her friend, that he notices the empty space next to him.

That place usually occupied by Lyndis.

By the time he informs Mark, it's too late to re-track their steps, so it is with fear gripping his heart that he pushes himself to go forward in hopes of finding Lyndis at the other side of the castle halls. He oughtn't to worry, Lyndis is probably the most skilled swordfighter he's ever had the pleasure of meeting, she can take care of herself, but still… He knows this worry comes from the deep-rooted feelings that he has developed for her over the long months since their reunion, yet he can do nothing to prevent it from rearing its ugly head every time they are on the battlefield.

Mark orders Lyndis' knights to take Serra and go west, to the part of the castle they had left unchecked, and search for Caelin's beloved Princess. They don't hesitate to follow his commands, and Eliwood knows it's due more to their desire to find Lyndis than any real wish to follow their Tactician. He watches them go for a few seconds, then takes off west, following them and praying that Lyndis is somewhere among those darkened halls, safe and waiting for them.

"She's alright… She has to be…"

So focused on keeping his thoughts out of tragic outcomes, that he ignores the person following him until they finally reach an illuminated hall, where the rest of the party is, thank Elimine, with Lyndis. As he nears them, he takes notice of two things at once: one, Serra is fretting over the crumpled and bloodied form of Lyndis, and two, the knights of Caelin are ready to attack the culprit.

That is, until the person following him _(Nino, his mind whispers)_ springs into action and launches herself to protect the boy who hurt his Lyndis.

"Nino, step aside!"

Eliwood can't be certain who spoke, it could have been Sain, or Kent, he doesn't care, his focus riveted to the young Lady resting boneless against the marble pillar. There's a mounting panic in her eyes, that only gets bigger with each passing second as she stares ahead. Her clothes are covered in so much blood it's hard to tell where the wound is, or how grave it is.

"No, please! Jaffar didn't do anything!"

"Lord Eliwood…" Serra's despairing voice snaps his attention to her, and watches her fidget with her Mend staff. "Lady Lyndis… she's not… My staff is not working, milord."

"What?"

He doesn't intend to sound so harsh, but the fear squeezing his insides does nothing to quell his anger; anger that's directed to the boy, _Jaffar_.

"I've been trying, but… nothing happens. I tried to look for the wound to heal it directly, but—"

"She is unharmed."

There is a pregnant pause after that. Everyone looks puzzled at Jaffar as he approaches slowly, Nino tucked securely under his arm. Kent, Sain and Florina lower their weapons slightly, thrown off by this unexpected turn of events.

Deliberately, Jaffar incrusts the blade in his free hand, a bloodied Killing Edge, on the floor at Huey's hooves. "The blood is not hers; it's _theirs_," he says, jerking his head back as he motions to the bodies behind him.

And only because he's been holding her, Eliwood feels Lyndis flinch at the mention of _them_. Looking down at her, he sees her eyes widen and lock on the carnage behind the boy, her chin trembles slightly and soon, so is the rest of her body.

"She's going into shock, Lord Eliwood. Maybe it would be best to take her back to camp."

Eliwood nods quickly, and picks Lyndis up, cradling her in his arms, but before he can move, Jaffar's talking again.

"The blade is not for her; the Killing Edge is meant for Assassins, she is not made to wield it."

"Lyn is not weak!" snaps Eliwood, containing his indignation.

"It is not a matter of weakness. The blade is made for murdering, killing in cold blood. It has nothing to do with being _able_ to wield the sword, but she is too pure, too righteous for it. The Killing Edge is for those who have already embraced the darkness within them, for those who cannot be corrupted further."

Lyndis flinches again, burrowing into him and hiding her face amidst the fabric of his cape. Idly, Eliwood takes note of the blade resting at the boy's hip; a _Killing Edge_.

"It is my fault."

The group turns to find Mark climbing off Priscilla's horse. The Tactician walks towards them, casts a pained look at the Sacaean Noblewoman and motions for Priscilla to move closer.

"Put her to sleep," he orders and then turns to face Jaffar. "I handed her the sword, I _thought_ she'd be able to handle it. We have been fighting a war, so I thought… it would not _be_ a problem. I failed to remember that Lyndis has not killed yet, not once since I began travelling with her. She puts her enemies down, but leaves them alive," Mark sighs regretfully. "At least you are unharmed."

"It was fortunate. I do not think I'd been able to stop her if she had attacked me," Jaffar pauses briefly, looking intently at Lyndis, and then continues. "She was easily consumed by its power; granted, it is hard to fight the urges of the blade. The bloodlust of the Killing Edge is overwhelming for those who wield it unprepared."

Eliwood stops listening then, choosing instead to stare at Lyndis' sleeping face marred by a pained grimace as the day's occurrences torment her even in her sleep. He presses a kiss to her temple, a secret reassurance, for it was she the one who chose to postpone their budding romance for when the War is over. Not something he agreed to happily, but Eliwood respects her decision. He bids his time, knowing, hoping for the day when Lyndis feels ready, safe enough to allow them to love.

In the meantime, he'll be there in her time of need.

"Eliwood," says Mark, catching his attention by grasping his shoulder. "Take her back to the camp."

He doesn't need to be told twice.

**.**

* * *

**end.**

* * *

Before I have people telling me Lyn wasn't fourteen when the massacre of her tribe happened, stop. I'm basing the facts of my fics on the Japanese version of the game, as well as the Artbook. There, it's clearly stated that Lyn is fifteen when she meets the Tactician, thus I'm doing an educated guess and placing her as a fourteen-years-old when her family died.

That being said, thanks for reading!

And please, your comments are always welcomed! It's always nice to know if you guys like what I'm doing or not.


	9. the green chest monster iii: undoing

So, yeah. Work's been kind of a pain. I barely have enough time to sleep. And here's the tomorrow I promised last year :P.

This one's looong. The next two are loong too, so there's more to read for you!

I hope you like it!

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Wish it was. That way I'd make it a remake for the 3DS.**

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**"the green chest monster iii: undoing"**

**(during ch30 – victory or death / it finally reaches its breaking point)**

**#27 – 零れる/overflow**

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**.**

Her breath comes out in little puffs, a proof of her exhaustion, the wound on her side aching fiercely. Off in the distance, she can see two more Falco Knights rapidly approaching and she can only despair, thinking it is only a matter of time before their luck ran out.

On her lap, his ragged breath echoing around the small forest surrounding them, lays Eliwood, wounded and bordering on unconsciousness. His upper body remains bare and damp with sweat, chest glistening under the sunrays that manage to filter through the leaves. The wound in his shoulder remains open; poison and blood seeping through the hastened, makeshift bandages. The Elixirs Mark provided them are running low, and she can only pray for the Falco Knights to drop some more, or better yet, an Antitoxin.

Eliwood coughs weakly, his eyes darting around them, trying to focus on something but his feverish state doesn't allow it. Finally, he focuses on her, and smiles wryly. "Well… I certainly was expecting… to survive this War…"

Her chin trembles and she has to swallow her sobs before answering. "You _will_, Eliwood… We all will survive this." She casts a quick glance up ahead, seeing there is still time before the enemy arrives, and then cradles his body closer to hers. "I—I'm sorry, I… We will make it, Eliwood. I promise, we _will_."

He, however, doesn't seem to have listened at all. Eliwood raises his left hand and caresses her cheek, leaving a smudge of blood across her unblemished skin. "Lyndis… I do not… wish to part from this world with regrets, but… I do not want to _steal_ a kiss from you…" He smiles, tenderly, and it breaks her heart. "So, I am asking… May I…?"

The tears come unbidden, yet she tries to smile at him and only partially succeeds, but it must be enough for Eliwood looks relieved. She brushes his hair off his damp forehead lovingly, leans down and places a small kiss there before moving on and finding his lips.

And the kiss is everything she ever thought it would be: thrilling and magical and clumsy and wonderfully _perfect_. She wishes it could last longer, but she can hear the flapping of wings nearing, so, giving one last kiss, Lyndis applies an Elixir to his wound and leaves him resting on the cool grass.

It's time to face reality.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Eliwood watches her fastening the swords to her hip; first her Mani Katti, then a Silver Sword and finally a Killing Edge. Once that's accomplished, she fastens her Brave Bow and quiver, arrows included, to her back, and she's ready to go. He doesn't need to check, because he knows the Elixir Mark provided for her is tucked securely in her travelling pouch.

He, himself, is ready to part too; his Rapier and a Silver Sword are secured at his waist, while a Killer Lance and a Brave Lance are fastened at his stallion's saddle. Eliwood doesn't know what Mark is thinking, sending the two of them, _alone_, to travel the north path of the mountains and telling them to meet the rest of their party at the gate. Hasn't he been paying attention to these last few months, to their crumbling relationship and faulty synchrony? Certainly, with a sense as sharp as Mark's…

Or maybe that's exactly why he is sending them off together. Maybe this is his way of saying, not so subtly, FIX IT. Oh, Eliwood can still recall his words, uttered forcefully the day before Nergal kidnapped Ninian.

"I don't know what is happening between you and Lyn, Eliwood, but whatever it is fix it. Fix it now."

And that was that.

Shaking his head, Eliwood looks off to the horizon, watching as the first glimpses of light break through. Sighing, he turns his attention to Mark.

"Are we all clear? Any doubts?" After a collective shake of heads, Mark starts dividing the party into three groups: the first group will head off the eastern path of the mountains, the second will take the middle path, and the last group, which consists of Lyndis and Eliwood, will go north. "Alright? Let's go then!"

Lyndis looks resolute, but before she can take a step ahead, Mark stops her. Motioning Eliwood over, he hands them a piece of parchment.

"Here is a rough draft of the terrain's layout," he says, then points at little dots allocated on the paper. "These are some of the enemies I spotted while riding with Florina. I made an educated guess as to what each of them are, but please be careful."

One last look and Mark leaves, and they are alone for the first time in months.

Lyndis gets a pensive look on her face as she watches the parchment intently, memorizing it. She turns to him, fidgeting a bit and hands him the parchment. "Well, then… Let us go."

Eliwood takes a brief look at the draft of their route and nods. "Let's."

They're still an hour away from sunrise and for the first twenty minutes the walk _(or in his case, ride)_ is mostly calm, sounds of the nature the only thing breaking the silence. The first spot of trouble came in the form of two Cavaliers as they were crossing a large empty field. Looking down at the improvised map, Eliwood surmises the still had about a ten-minute ride to the nearest patch of forest and most likely wouldn't be able to avoid combat.

Not that it matters, as Lyndis had already stopped and prepared to fight.

The Cavaliers are riding towards them at an alarming speed, and he palms his Brave Lance, steeling his resolve. At his side, Lyndis stands, hand hovering over her swords, ready as well. It comes as no surprise when the enemy makes a beeline to Lyndis, assuming of course she'll be the easier prey; oh, how wrong they are. The first one to commit such unforgivable mistake suffers the consequences, as Lyndis makes quick work of him with her Silver Sword. It doesn't really matter, Eliwood realizes with dreaded shock, for the remaining Cavalier marches on. He intercepts it before he reaches the green-haired young girl and, with one precise thrust of his lance, the enemy falls unmoving.

"Morphs…" he whispers. Deciding this unexpected turnabout does not favor them, at all, Eliwood urges his stallion to go to Lyndis' side and extends his hands once he reaches her. "Come on, Lyndis, we've to keep going."

She hesitates for a few seconds, but eventually takes his hand, only to be hauled onto the back of the horse. "What… Eliwood?"

He presses his heels into his stallion and it breaks into a run. They'll have to forgo the trip through the forest, which had been the original plan in order to remain unsuspicious and out of sight, and go straight to the bridge. Eliwood can only hope they can make it at the expected time.

Lyndis squeezes his middle, dragging his attention back to her. "What's going on, Eliwood? Why are you so upset?"

"Morphs, Lyndis," he begins, prompting the horse to go faster. "Nergal has forgone the use of regular people for this War; instead, he's sent his army of morphs to prevent any kind of resistance."

"And this means we are dealing with fearless creatures that will stop at nothing to kill us… I hope our friends aren't having much trouble…"

"You oughtn't to worry… Mark will lead them well…"

What Eliwood doesn't say, is that he is more concerned about _them_. Mark's decision to send them off to round the north side of the mountains seems foolish when presented with this new circumstances; he certainly wasn't expecting morphs to be part of the enemy.

His train of thought breaks when Lyndis rests her head on his back, between his shoulder blades and beneath the armor covering his shoulders. They are separated by several layers of clothing, yet he is, suddenly, acutely aware of the warmth of her body; if it weren't impossible, he'd say he can even feel her steady breathing through the clothing covering his back. Her hands fits on the fabric over his stomach and Eliwood's awareness narrows to the girl embracing him from behind, his mind wondering why he waited so long to heed Mark's demands to fix his relationship with Lyndis.

He doesn't know how long they've been riding, but it must have been long for his stallion begins to slow down, although not enough to break its fast pace. He's still enjoying the way Lyndis presses her body against his back; idly, Eliwood wonders if Mark didn't plan this all along, when the whoosh of an arrow flying past them snaps him out of his careless daze. Cursing under his breath, he veers his horse to the left, heading to the forests.

He'd forgotten all about the Ballista.

**.~~~~~~~~~~~~.**

As if the Sniper on the Ballista were not enough, Lyndis finds herself fighting off a couple of Brigands while Eliwood took on the Warrior. It doesn't really bother her; she knows they have to stop all of Nergal's minions, but Mark was very insistent for them to reach the villa on the field across the river, and the oncoming morphs are nothing if not an unnecessary delay. As the eighth Brigand fell to her sword, she's starting to get annoyed, but is immediately pleased to see Eliwood galloping towards her; even more so at his words.

"No more reinforcements. It should be safe to cross the bridge now." He's gasping for breath, clearly affected by the collective round of enemies they've had to fend off, but other than that, and the sweat trailing down the sides of his face and his neck until it disappeared under his clothing, he looks fine.

Lyndis tears her gaze away from him rather hastily, not wanting to be discovered ogling; she shakes her head to clear the fog clouding her thoughts and looks ahead, now is not the time to lose focus over silly infatuations _(because that's all it is; a simple infatuation)_. Unsurprisingly, she spots two silhouettes in the distance.

Eliwood keeps talking. "According to Mark, right after crossing the bridge, we should come across two more morphs and then we'll reach the villa. He couldn't tell what the morphs are, but they're on foot."

Lyndis nods absentmindedly and stops a few feet from the bridge. "And somewhere off to the east of the villa there's a Bishop; Mark said to be careful around magic users, did he not?"

"He did."

As his words leave his mouth, the enemy seems to spots them too, and starts running.

Her sharp mind brought forth the image of the map Mark gave them, and Lyndis already has a plan. "Eliwood, I'll let you handle this one; I'll take care of the one closer to the villa, and hope that there are no more reinforcements. Our priority is to reach whoever is there and get them out."

"I'll be right behind you to offer support, as soon as I finish here."

She spares him a glance and shudders. His eyes seem to shine from within, his gaze intense; he looks like he wants to say something but doesn't know the words. Unfortunately, there is no time to wait and she nods once in his direction and takes off to the bridge, listening as Eliwood's stallion pounds his hooves on the ground a few times before galloping forward in preparation of the sprint its master will require.

It's a Hero, the one approaching, but doesn't look like one that's fast enough for her, so she waits. As the Hero reaches her place and raises his swords to strike, Lyndis jumps onto the bridge's railing and runs, leaving the morph behind, listening intently as Eliwood engages him in a fight. Up ahead, another Hero comes her way and she closes her hand over the handle of her Silver Sword. Lyndis knows the sword is only a few more swings from breaking, but with a bit of luck it will hold until she reaches the villa. And if it doesn't, she still has three more weapons at her disposal.

Two swings of her sword later, and the morph lays motionless on the ground; exhaustion is finally beginning to catch up to her, but it's not something she cannot handle. It's to be expected actually, they were in such a hurry to reach Dread Isle again, to prevent Nergal from bringing back the days of the Scouring that Mark barely let them rest enough to function properly during daylight. Adding to that is the fact that she's been having trouble sleeping for months now.

She wipes the sweat from her face, brushing back her fringe to let the cool air hit the skin. Taking a deep breath, she spares a glance behind her, spotting Eliwood finally taking down the morph; turning around, she can see the villa in the distance and starts running to it. That's the priority now, she'll just have to trust Eliwood to catch up with her later _(or sooner, seeing as he is riding a horse and she is not)_.

As she closes in, the quiet around her is suddenly broken by an unexpected shriek. Lyndis halts her fast pace, and turns east, fearing the worst. As if on cue, two silhouettes appear in the distance over the mountains, approaching her at an alarming pace. Wyvern Riders. This is the one enemy she is not looking forward to facing.

Sheathing her sword, Lyndis takes her Brave Bow and prepares to fire her arrows. Not yet, though, they're too far for her to succeed. Don't take her wrong, she's confident in her skills as long as it involves swords, but bows are still relatively new to her. She's not good enough with them for her to put her whole faith in them. She can, however, trust her speed to avoid getting hit while using a bow, so no harm will be done.

She hopes.

**.~~~~~~~~~~~~.**

He starts to think this whole situation was a huge mistake, from the very beginning.

Every fiber in his body is telling him to turn around and _go back_, to help her fend off the Wyvern Riders, but then he remember the determination on her face and knows she'll think he believes her weak if he does. Besides, she _is_ right; Mark was very clear in saying getting to the villa was top priority, he just wasn't expecting to _find_ anyone there.

In the distance, he can hear sound of battle, and knows it's not Lyndis _(although, that doesn't stop his mind from picturing the worse)_. He urges his horse to go faster, deciding to reach the bend where the Sniper had been just before the bridge. He'll drop his charge there, indicate him to follow the path and hope for the best. Eliwood knows Mark always has at least one flying unit up in the air, in case someone tries to sneak up on them, so he's confident Renault will be seen.

Because, while Mark had stressed the fact to rescue anyone staying at the villa, he also stressed the fact that they, he and Lyndis, should remain together at _all_ times.

A jolly good job I'm doing at that.

Really, all he can do now is hope for the best.

Finally, he reaches his destination, instructs Renault to follow the path, and turns to head back to the villa, which is where he last saw Lyndis. His heart clenches painfully when the edification comes into view but there is no Lyndis in sight. His stallion pants exhausted but Eliwood doesn't want to stop just yet, though he knows he will have to, and soon, if he doesn't want to have an injured animal on his hands.

"Come on, boy, just a few moments. We have to keep going," he mumbles to the horse, knowing it won't understand him; still, it's something he does to soothe his own nerves.

He stops at the entrance of the villa to let the horse rest, and surveys the area looking for anything that would tell him where Lyndis went. East of the villa, he sees the first signs of battle: a scorched patch of grass. Grimacing slightly, he presses his heels into the horse's body and they're soon running. Lyndis couldn't have gone too far, especially if she had had to fight her way through; true to his expectations, only a few minutes later, Eliwood spots her a few miles ahead fighting against three Falco Knights and winning.

This, of course, would have filled him with pride _(though, he doesn't quite know why)_, if it weren't for the fourth Falco Knight heading her way, lance at the ready. A quick assessment of such sight tell Eliwood that while Lyndis is obviously winning, the enemy has successfully cornered her and she wielded her bow, which is useless for close combat; she is in no position to see the oncoming threat.

The Pheraean Lord makes an accurate calculation; he can make it, he can stop the fourth Falco Knight from striking. So he takes the chance.

What Eliwood doesn't take into account is his inability to wield the lance with the practiced ease of his well-trained cavalry. Because he misses, and the strike aimed at Lyndis pierces through his right shoulder. He takes down the enemy with his second strike, but the damage is done. And it's only when he's looking up at Lyndis that Eliwood realizes he's fallen off his horse.

Now he _knows_ this whole situation was a huge mistake, from the very beginning.

**.**

**.**

**.**

When she stumbles back into the small forest, Lyndis sees Eliwood struggling to sit up, making his wound bleed faster. Her first instinct is to rush to his aid, but her body protests loudly, exhausted by the day's events; all the fighting and running are finally taking its toll on her. The wound on her side has stopped bleeding but it hurts tremendously, and the Vulnerary the last two Falco Knights dropped didn't help much other than give her a little more energy to keep going.

But it won't last long.

She sits next to the red-haired Lord, her eyes closing to the world, and tries to hide her pain and discomfort; the last thing she needs is Eliwood being stubborn about taking all the Elixirs, because she really doesn't need them, she isn't the one with an open, poisoned and bleeding wound on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry… that you must endanger yourself… to protect me."

Lyndis shakes her head, and turns to look at him, meeting his conflicted gaze. "You were—_are_ poisoned, Eliwood… The way you've been bleeding, I'm surprised you remain conscious. But don't worry; I don't think there will be more fighting."

"No more reinforcements?"

"No more."

It pains him, she can see, to lift his arm and wrap it around her shoulders, but he perseveres and pulls her tight against his side. Under normal circumstances, the green-haired girl would have blushed scarlet and then pushed him away, resenting his forwardness. However, as it is, the Lady of Caelin is too exhausted to care about property or his half-nude state, and so incredibly tired of the emotional rollercoaster she's been going through these past months… Lyndis loathes admitting she's not strong enough to handle it.

Eliwood presses a kiss to her temple, then her cheek, finally reaching the corner of her mouth and he lingers. Before she can ask him what he is doing, he pulls away and struggles to stand up. Without a word, he helps her stand and then turns to his horse. "We have to reach the Gate's entrance."

"But, Eliwood, you're not well enough—" She stops abruptly when he stumbles into the horse's side, rushing to his side. "You can't keep going like this!"

The red-haired Lord clutches his shoulder in pain, but shakes his head stubbornly. "I can, if we hurry. We ran out of Elixirs and can't risk staying here, hiding from everyone if there's the chance Mark is looking for us."

"But—"

"You're at your limit, Lyndis. Unlike Elixirs, the Vulnerary you took doesn't replenish the lost blood. I…" Eliwood seems to reach an important decision, because when he turns his blue gaze on her, the intensity of it sends shivers down her spine. "I told you, I don't wish to part from this world with regrets, but now… now I do not wish to part at all if—if it means I get to spend what life I have left with you at my side."

His words surprise her, and Lyndis retreats a few steps. "I… Eliwood, what…?"

He smiles ruefully, looking away and busying with the horse's saddle. "I apologize… I was actually planning to approach this topic after we dealt with Nergal, but after what happened today, I didn't want to postpone it. Forgive my boldness, Lyn…"

"I don't know what to say…" The words 'I thought you were in love with Ninian' go unspoken; she doesn't even know what to think, Lyndis really thought his heart belonged to the Dragon Girl. "I don't know _what_ you are saying."

The wind ruffles his red hair, the setting sun casting long shadows around them but Lyndis can see him clearly: the sigh that leaves his body, the way he tenses up and then relaxes. Slowly, Eliwood turns to face her, chest bare and glistening with sweat, the bandages on his shoulder stained crimson red, but he looks tall, strong and imposing; every bit the Lord he was raised to be.

"I am in love with you, Lyndis. And I have been for a long time," he says, breathing deeply before pressing on. "It's something that happened slowly, naturally, because by the time I realized it… not only it surprised me but I thought I was too late."

"You thought?" Her mind is trying to understand everything, but her mounting worry about his wellbeing and the sheer happiness she feels upon hearing his confession is making it difficult.

Eliwood smiles serenely, the first happy smile she's seen in a while, and grabs her hand tightly. And it comes to her then, suddenly, how easy it is to read him now, like she used to, before all the emotional drama of the last months, because Lyndis can see his longing to draw her into an embrace and kiss her again _(and again and again)_.

"Well, you allowed me to kiss you," he explains, glossing over the fact that she initiated the kiss. "You must feel something for me to let that happen. It isn't in you nature to mislead someone, nor it is kissing just anyone. I know, because I know you."

Too many conflicting emotions are running inside her, but somehow she ends up laughing and crying and she closes the remaining distance between them until there is none and she presses her cheek against his chest and inhales his unique scent through the smell of sweat and dried blood, his heart thudding steadily, if not a little fast, against her ear.

"I didn't think you would feel the same…"

"Neither did I."

"I love you, too, Eliwood."

And then Lyndis does what she's been yearning to do for ages; she kisses him _(again)_.

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**end.**

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So, consider this the continuation of chapters 1 and 5. Next one is the final installement of this time-line. Also...

Please review! I'd appreciate your comments, good or bad. I just want to know if my writing skill haven't gone downhill with these long periods of not writing.

I'll try to update soon.


	10. the green chest monster iv: farewell

Well, here it is, another installement of this series as well as the last part of "the green chest monster" timeline.

I want to finish some mroe oneshots before posting those I have ready. That way you'll have plenty to read even if I lose my muse for a while. I hope I don't. I really want to finish this.

Well, that. I hope you like it!

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Wish it was. That way I'd make it a remake for the 3DS.**

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**"the green chest monster iv: farewell"**

**(post-ch31 – light, before Nils &amp; Ninian leave through the gate / they do not belong in this world, but for a brief, wondrous moment she thought otherwise)**

**#08 – 二人の世界/our own world**

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**.**

He watches them stoically from Merlinus' side.

Everyone has been incredibly worried about the missing Lord of Pherae and the Lady of Caelin, thinking, _believing_ the worse. And for a moment, they were right to worry, Nils knows, he _felt_ it—the looming danger, but it vanished before long.

No one moves until they are close enough to be seen clearly in the pale moonlight, but then everyone is rushing to help them; they've made it, yes, but at a great risk it seems. Even from his place, so far away, he can see the wound in Lord Eliwood's right shoulder, the pain in his face as he struggles to control his horse, while trying to hold on tight to the unconscious form of Lady Lyndis, who's as wounded as he is, if her bloodied dress is proof enough.

Hearing Mark ask for explanations, Nils wonders if he's not being a little too unfeeling about the situation, but really… he's not feeling particularly sympathetic towards the red-haired Lord. He played with his sister's feelings, gave her false hopes; true, it was not done so knowingly, and maybe Ninian saw something that wasn't there, but… He just can't forget the pain his loving sister went through the weeks leading up to her demise, the tears she shed over her unrequited love.

And then he killed her.

"She fell unconscious a while ago, probably due to all the blood loss…"

True, Lord Eliwood didn't know the Dragon _was_ Ninian, they never told anyone their real natures, and their mother had told them all about the Scouring and the Eight Heroes. Durandal is not a sword to be wielded by the unprepared; even the Champion Roland went through extensive training before wielding Durandal, hence why the Dragons could flee to another dimension, otherwise they would all be death—slaughtered. So why didn't Archsage Athos warn him, why didn't the _Guardian_ of Durandal warn him?

Why would they let a _foolish_ Lord wield such a powerful sword?

"Eliwood, you're bleeding! Is the Infirmary not ready yet?"

"I'm fine, Mark, it's just the poison coming out—"

"Poison!?"

His stoicism is warranted, he thinks, otherwise Nils knows he'll fall apart. But it seems his emotionless façade is not working well for the rage and resentment keep pushing through, luckily nobody is around to see it.

Soon, Sir Sain is carrying Lady Lyndis into the makeshift Infirmary, and Nils feels another wave of resentment directed at the red-haired Lord, who's being carried after her by Lord Hector and Sir Harken.

Now he let Lady Lyndis get hurt. Who is going to be next?

Nils is well aware thinking like this is not fair to Lord Eliwood, but his anger and resentment mingle with the jealousy he's been pushing down since joining their army. It's not fair to _him_ either, the Pheraean Lord takes everything from him: first his sister's love, then Lady Lyndis' affection. Never mind that Ninian loved him still, only in a different way, and that Lady Lyndis never really got a chance to return his affection as she never knew of it. It doesn't matter, thinks Nils, all that matters is that Lord Eliwood hurt them both, one way or another.

But Lord Elbert spoke so highly of him, surely, Lord Eliwood must be good to warrant such praise from Lord Elbert.

He walks into the tent, lingering among the shadows to observe.

Lady Priscilla tends to Lord Eliwood quickly, extracting the poison and then healing the wound. It doesn't take long because there was not much poison left and the wound wasn't too big. Lady Lyndis is another matter; it takes Serra's and Lucius' combined effort to close the wound on her side, it isn't bleeding but it hadn't healed properly and the infection had started to spread. They succeed, but the blood loss left her weak and she's put into an enchanted sleep to ensure her rest.

Lord Eliwood, fully healed, but in dire need of some sleep, disregards Lady Priscilla's advice and walks towards Lady Lyndis' side, grabbing a chair and sitting, clearly prepared to spend the night watching over her. He grabs her hand, places a soft kiss on it, and waits. The exhaustion is evident, but Lord Eliwood is unyielding about his decision. Not even Mark's orders make him move, so it is with a bit of amusement that he sees the Tactician whisper to Serra and the Lady Bishop uses the same staff on the Pheraean Lord that she used on Lady Lyndis and puts him to sleep.

See? He's not bad…

Yet, the burning rage and corrosive jealousy remain, lingering on the outskirts of his consciousness, ready to pounce at the smallest chance.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Mark sends her away, telling her he needs to discuss some matters with Pent before deciding how to proceed. Ninian nods respectfully and wanders away, noticing Bramimond approach the Tactician; perhaps, they need to discuss what to do with the open Gate. There's still time to spare, she knows, she can feel it, and so can Bramimond thus why he hasn't insisted for she and Nils to go through.

Ninian walks down the steps slowly, still feeling a little weak for the effort it took to send two of the three dragons back through the Gate, but she's resolute on reaching the entrance of the ruins. It's been too long, at least for her… she knows sooner rather than later Mark will ask her to make a decision regarding her world, but the Dancer doesn't know if she wants to leave. No, actually, she's certain she doesn't, but the ultimate decision will be made once she's spoken with Lord Eliwood.

If… if everything turns out how she hopes, Nils will be going back alone. If not, then… well.

_No, I must not think so negatively. Lord Eliwood… he was so kind to me while travelling, he must…_

Just as the first sunrays hit the hall she's walking through, Ninian spots her dear brother sitting on the steps of the entrance, looking forlorn and dejected. Worried, Ninian approaches him, and is shocked to see rage and resentment marring his usually cheerful face. "Nils?"

As soon as she speaks, his expression morphs into one of happiness and relief, and he turns to look at her with care in his eyes. "Ninian, come sit with me."

The Dragon Girl smiles tentatively, but does as requested. "Is something wrong? You… didn't look well, Nils."

Nils stiffens and he averts his gaze, staring at the tents spread across the grass ahead of them. Briefly, his face twist into an angry scowl but then turns impassive. "It's nothing, really… I guess all the emotional stress of the past few weeks has finally caught up with me; watching you d—die and then being resurrected… It's just too much to take in stride."

"But there is something else."

Careful not to meet her eyes, Nils decides to avoid answering altogether. "Is it time for us to go?"

"What… No, the Gate will hold for a few more hours," Ninian says, frowning slightly; certainly, her brother does not expect her to ignore his change of topic. "I told Mark, and now he's discussing something with Lord Pent."

"Very well," Nils looks absent for a moment, then continues in a distracted voice. "Perhaps we should start saying our goodbyes."

She startles at his words, reeling back, and stares fearfully at the boy; because, no, there is no chance that her dear brother would disregard her decision—certainly, he must know of her feelings. "Nils—"

But her words catch in her throat as he turns to look at her, right in the eyes. There is something so very foreign in her brother's eyes, something she is sure wasn't there before… her experience.

"And then we'll go back home."

Definitely something wrong; her brother had never sounded so emotionless before when speaking to her—to anyone! Gods, what happened to sweet Nils while she was gone?

"But, Nils—"

"We cannot leave the Gate open longer than necessary, and it's already been too long."

"Nils, please, listen to me!" She doesn't mean to snap at him, but his mildly shocked expression is a sight Ninian will take over his impassive mask; however, his intense, neutral, gaze unnerves her and the aquamarine-haired girl loses some of her courage. "I don't know if…"

"We will go back, Ninian," he says, slowly, enunciating every word, as if he were talking to a little, petulant child.

She feels like one: averting her gaze, playing with the fabric of her dress on her lap, shifting nervously in her place. She shouldn't feel like this; _Nils_ shouldn't make her feel like this. "No, I… I need to speak with Lord Eliwood first. Perhaps… perhaps he wishes for me to…" Her voice trails off softly, regretfully.

But Nils doesn't seem to be in a compassionate mood, as he snorts while shaking his head. "Stay? Are you still thinking about that, Ninian? Did I not tell you to stop wishing for the impossible?"

He did. He did warn her about her infatuation with Lord Eliwood, did he not? He told her of the futileness of it, as Lord Eliwood had already set his sights elsewhere; he told her of her suffering if she decided to pursue that dream. However, she did not listen, and how could she, when Lord Eliwood himself fed her hope day after day? He was kind to her, chivalrous and so very gentle with her; it was not possible to resign to her desires. And then she did suffer, like never before, as she watched him pin after Lady Lyndis.

But, but…

"Still, maybe he will—"

"He will not. He's a nobleman, Ninian; you do not belong with him." There is finality in his voice as he stands up, facing away from her and gazing at the makeshift Infirmary the army set up to heal the wounded.

"You don't know… you don't know, Nils! He might…"

Oh, why, why, _why_ is he being so harsh, so _hostile_? Ninian watches in despair how her brother resembles a statue, carved in marble, hard and cold and…

_You don't know, Nils. He might love me._

Letting out a sight, Nils turns to looks at her, pitying her. "Maybe… you should go see a healer, sister. Perhaps then, you will understand."

His words delivered, Nils turns and ascends the steps back into the ruins, most likely going back to Gate. But Ninian doesn't have it in her anymore to care, she's too confused and hurt by his words, his actions. He has to be wrong; yes, Lord Eliwood spent much of his time before her subsequent death trying to mend his broken relationship with Lady Lyndis, but that doesn't mean… anything.

They are friends, of course Lord Eliwood would want to fix their friendship.

"Maybe, if I talk to him…"

Making a decision, Ninian stands up, and descends the remaining steps, heading towards the camp. She will find Lord Eliwood and will talk to him and everything will be alright. He will return her feelings. He will.

"He will…"

**.~~~~~~~~~~~~.**

It is a curious feeling, having your heart broken.

Ninian doesn't take long to find Lord Eliwood. As she nears the tents assigned as the Infirmary, she sees him slipping into one of the tents a few feet ahead of her; he doesn't seems to notice her. Ninian blushes, because Lord Eliwood is wearing only his trousers, boots and a white shirt, and she's never, ever, ever seen him in anything but his normal attire and this—this is too much _(or maybe too little)_.

She follows him and arrives at the entrance of the tent in time to hear the end of a conversation.

"It's alright, Priscilla, I'll be careful."

Ninian stops, hearing the finality in his voice; she stays outside.

"Very well, Lord Eliwood. I'll take my leave."

She has just enough time to duck out of the way as Lady Priscilla walks out, not noticing her either, and head for the tent across from where she is. Ninian hesitates a bit longer, and then slips inside silently, hoping to have some privacy to talk to Lord Eliwood.

The tent is by no means big, but spacious enough to fit five people, each having their own "room" one might say, as curtains separate the tent to give each patient some privacy. Suits her fine, really, as this way there's less risk of being interrupted. There are five bunk beds in the tent, but only the very last one has the curtains drawn. Ninian takes a deep breath and walks forward, but before reaching the other side of the tent, a voice stops her.

"Priscilla is right, Eliwood. You shouldn't be here, it's not proper."

Ninian freezes briefly upon hearing those words, recognizing the voice immediately; after all she's heard it enough through her travels, both on the quest to free Caelin and now on the quest to stop a second Scouring.

Her heart clenches painfully.

"I know, but I am too exhausted to care," Lord Eliwood pauses; the soft sound of shifting fabric reaches her ears and there's a sigh. "You are not exactly complaining, Lyn… What?"

"You called me Lyn, again. You never call me Lyn, it's always Lyndis…"

Lady Lyndis' words are but a whisper, and the silence that follows feels intimate; Ninian has the distinct feeling of intruding on a very private moment, regardless of having been eavesdropping before, this makes her feel incredibly guilty.

"Should I stop? Would… would you rather I call you Lyndis all the time?"

Again, she hears movement, but it's not enough for her to guess what they are doing. She walks closer to the curtain, her hand reaching out to grab it, but a pained hiss makes her stop. Careful of not being seen, Ninian peers around the curtain, in time to catch Lord Eliwood's worried expression as he rushes to sit next to a barely dressed Lady Lyndis.

"Lyn! Careful, your wound is not fully healed yet."

She can see them now, clearly, though she's facing mostly their backs, the red-haired Lord's expression in on display.

Lord Eliwood looks worriedly at Lady Lyndis, his eyes roaming her body briefly until they settle on something on her abdomen—her wound, certainly, for there are the bandages. Slowly, he reaches out, his hands ghosting over the Lady's right arm as it moves towards her back and starts to massage whatever expanse of skin it finds—which is a lot, considering how very little the Sacaean girl is wearing.

"You had me terrified back there," says Lord Eliwood, moving to embrace the girl sitting next to him; once he has her tucked safely in his arms, he buries his face in her green hair and inhales deeply. "When the Dragon struck you down… This is the second time I've held you unconscious in my arms and it's not something I enjoy… I rather you be awake and smiling and _well_."

Lady Lyndis chuckles, then lets her hands wander, going around his waist where she starts tugging the back of his shirt free of its confines of his trousers. Her hands rove over his back before slipping under his loose shirt, caressing the skin of his back. "I'll keep that in mind next time."

Ninian feels the heat rushing to her face as a foreign, dark feeling engulfs her.

There's a prolonged silence, in which they enjoy their mutual caresses, and Ninian gets this overwhelming urge to storm in there and demand an explanation, like why couldn't Lord Eliwood be forthcoming with his feelings earlier and spare her the pain and why couldn't Lady Lyndis set her sights elsewhere? And why, _why_ would they make her suffer like this?

"You haven't answered my question, Lyn."

"Haven't I?"

He hums softly while nuzzling her neck; his eyes closed, savoring the feeling, Lord Eliwood tightens his embrace carefully. "You have a beautiful name, Lyndis, and it would be a shame to shorten it every time. However, sometimes, I get the impression you think me too distant and formal when I address you as such."

Lady Lyndis draws back a little and pauses, considering the man in front of her before giving her response. It comes in the form of a tentative kiss.

It's only a mere brush of lips, but the dark, corrosive feeling sweeps her reasoning away—_jealousy_.

Lord Eliwood doesn't seem satisfied with the innocent contact and one of his hands grasps the back of her neck, applying more pressure to their kiss. Things go from tentative to passionate very quickly; Lady Lyndis' hands fly over the ties of his shirt, undoing them. By the time she's pushing the fabric off his shoulders, Lord Eliwood has her pressed against the mattress, his hands caressing and eliciting moans and sighs every passing second.

Ninian bits down on her lip to prevent the agonized scream surging up her throat, and she retreats quickly, knowing something potentially bad could happen were she to lose control of her emotions. She exits the tent quietly and then walks away as fast as her legs could carry her. Sparing one last glance, she's vindictively pleased to see Lord Hector barge loudly into the tent, for it will certainly interrupt their illicit encounter.

_How illicit, though? They aren't exactly hiding it._

The beast inside her rages and tries to claw its way out, pushing against her chest, but Ninian only hastens her pace and wishes to have listened to her brother; sweet, wise Nils knew all along and tried to spare her the suffering, once again, but her stubbornness and hopeful heart betrayed her. The pain she feels is worse compared to when she found out he own father used her to become a power-hungry monster.

Up ahead she sees Nils waiting for her at the ruins' entrance, a solemn look on his face that said it all.

It's time for them to return to their own world.

**.**

* * *

**the end.**

* * *

There. Was it good? Did I make Ninian suffer much? I hope not, I really like her, and I can see this happening, I mean, you have this girl clearly infatuated with a boy, who might or might not return her feelings (depending on his supports), if not, then Ninian is bound to find out and suffer a little before going back to his world with Nils.

Right?

Also, I really don't see Nils acting like this, but I'm trying to be realistic with his character, and I kid who loses her sister the way he does (and after that, he seems pretty catatonic to me) and then gets her back... he's not going to be instantly happy how it is shown in the game. I dunno, just what I think...


End file.
